Rain set in for much of the day, but we never had to put on rain jackets. We took a 15-minute bullet train to Osaka, where we walked a few miles through the city’s vast indoor spaces, both above and below ground. A side trip to the Cup Noodles Museum added variety.
Category: Honshu
Hiking Through a Sacred Forest
Took a local train to Kurama, a village on a mountain above Kyoto. Hiked a quiet trail up and over Mount Kurama, passing through a temple complex and past shrines and ancient trees. Rejoined the train line for the trip back to Kyoto.
Introducing B-List Kyoto
We introduced our nephew and his dad to Kyoto’s over-loved bucket list favorite, Kiyomizu-dera Temple, in order to build the case for exploring B-list Kyoto. After that initiation, we walked towards quieter places.
View From an Okayama Hotel Room
Okayama is a convenient base for our plans over the next three days. We can catch a train without even having to go outside.
Cycling the Shimanami Kaido
Rented bicycles and took a ferry to the midpoint of the Shimanami Kaido cycle route. Cycled back across the Seto Inland Sea on huge bridges and around islands.
Where Bicycles Rule
Onomichi U2, a repurposed 1943 warehouse where bicycles rule. The 28-room Hotel Cycle, plus bar and restaurant, provide us with a comfortable base to cycle part of the Shimanami Kaido across the Seto Inland Sea tomorrow.
Beneath the Surface
Walked past a construction site, which got me thinking about Azuma House in a working class suburb of Osaka. I’d made a point of standing in front of that home last week: it raises questions; with answers I warm to it. “Like” or “Dislike” are not enough.
Japan 2022 Itinerary
I’m home from a solo three-week trip to Japan. As usual, I made it up as I went along based on research, past experience, and whim.
I visited three of Japan’s main islands: Honshu, Kyushu, and Shikoku. Hokkaido didn’t make the list this time because winter was setting in there and I didn’t want to carry winter clothes.
Tokyo Hike
Took the train to Asakusa, Tokyo, walked back until I ran out of time. Along the way it was my kind of urban hike: huge temple; buildings not intended to last (that’s OK); the only Le Corbusier building in east Asia (went in); stark transit infrastructure (love it); and the gardens of the Imperial Palace.
Tenju-an Temple
Kyoto is over-loved like so many A-list places. For this reason I’ve avoided the city for over ten years. Today I visited for a few hours, took the subway to places that have escaped top-ten lists.